Heating device.



C. E. EGAN & W. E. MAYER.

HEATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-26. 1913.

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CHARLES E. EGAN AND WILLIAM E. MAYER, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

HEATING DEVICE.

masses.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES E. EGAN and WILLIAM E. MAYER, both citizens of the United States, and residing in Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Heating Device; and we do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, attention being called to the drawing which accompanies this application This invention relates to heating devices which are automatically-set in'operation in consequence of changes in temperature, more particularly in case this latter falls below a certain predetermined degree. Devices of this kind may be used in connection with the cultivation of fruit, to protect orchards in case of frost, in connection with hatcheries, incubators, chicken-coops, etc.

Our device consists substantially of a burner to produce heat necessary for the purpose, a casing which contains the burner and is adapted to radiate the heat generated thereby, means to supply suitable fuel to the burner, means to ignite the same and means to automatically cause action of these igniting means.

The invention consists of the construction of such adevice and of the various parts thereof as hereinafter described and claimed and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1. shows a vertical section of the device with its top closed. Fig. 2. shows the upper part of Fig. 1. with the top open.

.Fig. 3. is a horizontal section of the device taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. shows certain details, more particularly a top-view of certain contact devices which are used.

The drawing shows a suitable burner which may be one adapted to burn a liquidfuel like hydro-carbon. It is preferable of the ring type to accommodate a tubular wick 5, which occupies the cylindrical wick tube 6 and by means of which the fuel is supplied to the point of combustion from the reservoir 7. The burner is mounted upon said reservoir and the latter is supported in the lower part of the casing 8. Customary wick-adjusting means are presumed for moving the wick with reference to the point of combustion and provision is made to admit the necessary air.

Ignition is by means of a. match 9, sup= Specification of Letters Patent.

/ Patented May a, 1915.

Application filed November 26, 1913. Serial No. 808,318.

ported in a holder 10 and resting with its head upon a fine wire 11, these parts being so located as to position said match head close to the wick so that in case it becomes ignited, flame will be communicated to the wick. Ignition of the match is brought about by heating wire 11 electrically, this being due to the resistance which this wire presents to the passage of the current, the size of the wire with reference to the current being proportioned accordingly. This latter is obtained from a battery 12, suitably placed, preferably in a recess 13, formed between reservoir 7 and the adjacent wall of the casing. The circuit is normally open but becomes closed when a contact piece 14, touches another insulated contact piece 15. Contact piece 14 is carried on the lateral extension of a post 16 mounted upon the upper, fiat side of a thermostat 17. This later consists of a-hollow, fiat shell mounted upon lid 18 of the casing. This shellis closed air-tight and is made of a material sensitive to changes in temperature. If the temperature drops, it will contract, thereby movin contact piece 14. against contact piece 15 and thus close the circuit.

The necessary wiring all within the heater is as follows: A wire 19, runs from contact piece 15 to the battery. Another wire 21, connects the battery with a metallic post 22. A similar post 23 is provided in spaced relation to the first post and Wire 11, which supports the match head, is mounted upon them and bridges the space between them. The current is grounded by means of a short wire 24 which leads from post 23 and connects at any suitable point to the heater orto the burner, as shown. Both posts are insulated from the parts to which they are connected. v

The heater is prepared as soon as the weather assumes conditions which may require its possible use. The reservoir is filled, the wick is trimmed and adjusted and a match is placed upon wire 11. Accessto these parts is rendered possible by having top to permit difiusion of the heat as well as 'to protect the lid and the parts carried thereby.

Normally the lid is held closed and against the action of a weight 26, tending to open it, by means of a locking lever 27,having a notch 28 in engagement with a stop 29 on the inside of the casing. After the burner has been lighted, the temperature within it rises which causes lid 18 to become hot, heat also escaping through openings 31 in it. This change intemperature again affects the thermostat and causes thesame to act in a direction opposite to that in which it acted before. The first effect of this action will be a separation of the contact pieces thus stopping use of current and avoiding battery waste.

Inasmuch as the rise in temperature continues on account of the heat generated, the thermostat will further expand beyond its original and normal condition, finally moving post 16 against a latch 32 which is connected to locking lever 27 and normally in engagement with a stop 33. Thisengagement will be broken permitting a spring 34 to act upon the locking lever so as to disengage it from stop 29. Thereupon the weight will cause the lid to open as shown in Fig. 2. 7

When conditions require it, the parts above the lid may be protected bya cap 35, which should be removably connected. It should also be of such a construction, by perforations for instance, as. to expose the thermostat to atmospheric conditions.

36 is a rod connected to the locking lever. It serves as a support for spring 34, and extends also beyond cap 35, to be accessible for manipulation of the locking lever to permit locking of the lid. 7

Provision is made to control the operation of the thermostat so as to cause it to act with reference to any particular temperature as desired. For such purpose contact piece 14 is in form of a screw whereby the position of its end, with reference to contact piece 15, may be adjusted. The thermostat as a whole may also be adjusted with reference to the lid and for adjusting the upper end of post 16 with reference to latch 32. For such purpose the thermostat is mounted upon a stud 37, which passes loosely through the lid with a spring 38 interposed. A nut 39 is mounted upon the lower end of the stud whereby the adjustment is had.

41 indicates a frame mounted upon lid 18 which extends across the thermostat and support stop 33. 4:2 is a stop to prevent weight 26 from striking the side of the heater. Obviously a spring may be used to obtain the action of the weight.

, Any other inflammable substance, readily ignitible under the conditions existing, and

prepared in suitable form, may be used in place of matches. If necessary holder 10, is modified accordingly.

Any other fuel may be used, suitable for the purpose likecfor instance wood-alcohol or crude-oil. lVhere the nature of the fuel is such that it may be used without .a wick after combustion has been started, a substistute for the wick may be provided and interposed between the'igniting means and the fuel, to convey the flame from the igniting means to the fuel. A wad of cotton for instance, might be interposed. 1

As will be observed each heater is entirely complete within itself and not de pendent upon any extraneous auxiliaries, electric wiring outside of it, switches or other instrumentalities. As a result a heater is readily available for use and in case of emergencies is quickly placed in position. Likewise, removal of the heaters or changes of their position may be had at any time with equal facility.

Each heater is self-contained and all its parts are protected by the casing. The igniting medium is also within the casing and entirely secure against outside interference such as rain, snow or wind for instance.

Having described our invention, claim as new:

1. In a heating device for the purpose described, the combination of a casing, an automatically opening lid, complementary locking devices to hold the lid in closed position, mechanism adapted to actuate one of these locking devices so as to release the lid, a fuel container within the casing, means to' effect ignition of the fuel and a thermostat mounted upon the lid and adapted to operate the mechanism mentioned when affected by the heat generated by the ignited fuel.

2. In a heating device for the purpose described, the combination of a casing, a burner within the same, electrically heated ignition means positioned inside of the casing and adapted to ignite the burner, a 110 thermostat connected to this casing and .means adapted to be actuated thereby to control the operation of these ignition means.

3. In a heating device for the purpose described, the combination of a casing, a liquid fuel burner within the same and comprising a wick tube, anormally inactive electric circuit comprising a portion of high resistance adapted to become hot while current passes and located close to the wick tube, a match holder positioned close to this particular portion of the circuit and means to control passage of current through the circuit. I

4. In a heating device for the purpose de- 126 scribed, the combination of a casing, a fuelcontainer within the same, electrically heated means operating to ignite the fuel in the container, an electric circuit of which these means form a part, complementary 130 contact pieces also forming part of this circuit and normally a part and'a thermostat supported on the casing and to which one of the contact pieces mentioned is connected and whereby it is actuated to contact With the other contact piece when a certain temperature renders said thermostat active.

5. In a heating device for the purpose described, the combination of a casing, an automatically opening lidfor the casing, complementary locking devices, one on the easing and the other on the lid, a spring-actuengaged thereby to hold the lid in closed position, a latch to hold the locking lever in such engaging position, a stop adapted to be engaged by the latch for such purpose, mechanism adapted to disengage the latch from said stop to freethe locking lever from its engagement so as to cause opening of the lid, a fuel container within the casing, means operating to effect ignition of the fuel, and a thermostat adapted to operate the mechanism mentioned when actuated by the heat generated by the ignited fuel.

7 In a heating device for the purpose described, the combination of a casing, a fuel container Within the same, an automatically opening lid to close the casing at the top, permanent locking means for the lid, unlocking means for the same, a device to ignite the fuel, an electric circuit comprising two contact pieces normally open to operate said device, thermostat-actuated means adapted to move one of these contact pieces with reference to the other one, to close the circuit and to cause thereby action of the ignition device and additional means actuated in'like manner adapted to operate the lid-unlocking means.

8. In a heating device for the purpose described, the combination of a casing, a fuel container in the lower part of the same, a lid adapted to open automatically for closing the open upper end of the casing, devices to control the opening movement of the lid, devices adapted to operate so as to ignite the fuel in the container, a thermostat mounted upon the lid, means actuated by the same to cause at a certain temperature operation of the igniting devices and addi tional thermostat-actuated means whichcause thereafter operation of the lid-opening devices at a temperature which is higher than the temperature first mentioned.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto aifix our signatures in the presence of two Wit- 1 esses.

1 CHARLES E. EGAN.

WILLIAM E. MAYER. Witnesses:

C. SPENGEL, A. JOHNSON. 

